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Florida's Tebow fits into an NFL fad

Pat White's new role with Dolphins could be a crystal ball for UF's QB

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/Associated PressWest Virginia quarterback Pat White was a second-round draft pick and will be called upon to fill a hybrid pass-throw role for the Miami Dolphins.

BOB SELF/The Times-UnionEven with two national championships and a Heisman Trophy, Florida's Tim Tebow (center) hasn't convinced too many NFL scouts that he's a future pro quarterback. In spring practice, Tebow spent time on footwork and taking snaps under center.

Tim Tebow spent his spring working on throwing mechanics, footwork and taking snaps under center.

For all that labor with new University of Florida quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler, Tebow's 2010 NFL Draft stock might hinge more on what former West Virginia quarterback Pat White does as a rookie this season with the Miami Dolphins.

White played in the spread offense in college at West Virginia, and while the Dolphins drafted him to play receiver, there is little doubt that White will be used in the "Wildcat formation," which more NFL teams are experimenting with after the Dolphins used it successfully last season. That gives the formation something it hasn't had at the NFL level: a legitimate passing threat.

If White and the Dolphins have success with it in 2009, that obviously will help Tebow's stock in 2010, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper said.

"He'll have value because you can move him around, and, like Pat White, [Tebow will be] that Wildcat quarterback who gives you more than that because they're not a running back playing in the Wildcat or a wide receiver playing in the Wildcat," Kiper said. "Pat White's a quarterback playing in the Wildcat. Tim Tebow will be a quarterback playing in the Wildcat."

White finished his career at West Virginia as the NCAA record-holder in rushing yards by a quarterback (4,480). He ran for 47 touchdowns and completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 6,051 yards, 56 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Tebow has proven to be a better passer, completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 6,390 yards, 67 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Still, there are questions about his delivery and his ability to read defenses and to work under center.

Loeffler - who helped tutor Brian Griese, Chad Henne and Tom Brady at Michigan - was hired to help clean that up and prepare Tebow for the NFL, but Kiper believes Tebow's future is at H-back.

Tebow said he'd play there if he had to, but he wants a shot at playing quarterback.

"Obviously I'll do whatever I can to help that team, but my goal is to be a quarterback," he said. " ... I believe in myself and have confidence that hopefully one day I can play at the next level. That's been my goal. That's always been my goal since I was a little kid, to play in the NFL. That's something that I want to do someday."

As for where, that could get interesting. The Jaguars could be a possibility, especially considering that the team did not draft a quarterback this past weekend and Jaguars general manager Gene Smith's admitted fondness for University of Florida players.

"Certainly, we like Florida Gators," Smith said. "We've got a number of them on our football team. We've got a lot of Gator fans in this city, and Gators are certainly of interest to us."

That doesn't mean the Jaguars are interested in drafting Tebow, a Jacksonville native, but it's likely the team will draft a quarterback in 2010. Starter David Garrard is 31, and his backups are journeyman Cleo Lemon and second-year man Paul Smith.

The Jaguars, who signed Central Arkansas quarterback Nathan Brown as an undrafted free agent Sunday night, haven't drafted a quarterback since taking Byron Leftwich in the first round in 2003.

"Everything I've read about him is tremendous as a human being," Gene Smith said of Tebow. "Everything I've watched on television, he seems like a leader to me. I can't give you a fair assessment because I haven't watched him on film."

Tebow won't be the No. 1 quarterback in the 2010 draft class, which includes Oklahoma's Sam Bradford and Texas' Colt McCoy. Right now, both are regarded as better pro prospects. Kiper said Bradford could be the overall No. 1 pick, and Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour could be a top-10 pick. All that is just noise right now, Tebow said. He's more concerned about Tennessee and Georgia than where he'll begin his pro career.

"It's not my focus to get ready for the NFL," he said. "I mean that's a goal, but still my focus is to come back and win an SEC championship and hopefully nationally make it three out of four [national titles]."